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Series: Sa’Dirthara Lavellan: One who Seeks Truth [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Haven (Dragon Age), Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 04:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9699620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksblanketsandtea/pseuds/booksblanketsandtea
Summary: “So, I’ve been meaning to ask…” Varric interrupted Sa’Di’s train of thought, and she turned to look down at the slyly grinning dwarf. “Are you aware of your favouritism, or are you and Chuckles equally oblivious?”---Sa'Di is asked why Solas always seems to accompany her on journeys.





	

Sa’Di sighed tiredly as she and her companions finally passed through the gates of Haven. She, Varric, Cassandra and Solas had spent the last week in the Hinterlands helping the refugees where they could – it was exhausting and honestly depressing work, but the grateful (if wary) smiles and the slowly spreading good name of the Inquisition was worth the trouble. They had set off to return to Haven that morning, but had become distracted after stumbling across a rift that had opened near a village – night had begun to fall just as they had crossed over the mountain path, and by the time they trod wearily through the front gates, the sky above was deep and littered with stars.

“If you will excuse me,” Solas said as they began the trek up the central steps, “I am in need of some rest.”  
  
“Best idea you’ve had all week, Chuckles” Varric said, cracking his neck as the group came to a standstill by the dwarf's usual set up. Solas rolled his eyes slightly before turning and giving a brief nod of the head to his other two companions.

“Good evening, Seeker. On nydha, Sa’Di.”

“Son era, Solas,” Sa’Di replied with a tired smile, and watched as the apostate turned and walked away up towards the western end of the village. Even bone-tired, the other elf still showed a meticulous sort of grace as he walked – as though every step was considered and weighed before his wrapped foot touched the ground.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask…” Varric interrupted Sa’Di’s train of thought, and she turned to look down at the slyly grinning dwarf. “Are you aware of your favouritism, or are you and Chuckles equally oblivious?”

“I’m sorry?” Sa’Di asked, confused.

Cassandra huffed. “Ignore him. It is not for him to comment on.”

“Comment on what?” Sa’Di queried, genuinely confused.

Cassandra’s mouth turned down at the corner and she appeared uncomfortable as she looked away from Sa’Di briefly – the Seeker shrugged, her armour clanking slightly with the movement.

“Some have noticed that you prefer that Solas join you on your journeys. As I said – it is nothing that we need discuss.”

“Actually, I’d quite like to discuss it, if you don’t mind,” Varric gestured up the hill to where Solas tended to spend his time. “You’ve got us all wondering – what is it about tall, bald and severe that makes him your go to? Not that we mind of course – Dorian was saying just the other day that it’s nice to take a breather every now and then. I almost feel sorry for the poor bugger – all Solas wants to do is sleep his life away and here you are, not letting him get any rest.”

Sa’Di blushed, a gentle shade of pink creeping over the bridge of her freckled nose and cheeks. Varric let out a bark of laughter.

“Not like _that!_ Get your mind outta the gutter kid – though maybe Sera’s drunken ramblings last week were spot on?” he wiggled his eyebrows at the elf and Sa’Di couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, shut up Varric” she said and the dwarf grinned as she batted him upside the head. “I’m serious, it’s not like that, it’s just-” and here the Dalish mage paused, hesitant.

“…It is just?” Cassandra prompted, allowing her curiosity to overpower her propriety.

Sa’Di resisted the urge to run a hand through her already mussed hair and instead sighed, staring into the flickering flames of Varric’s campfire.

“He reminds me of home. I know that doesn’t make sense – Solas is not Lavellan, he doesn’t have a clan, but… I don’t know.” She smiled, slightly bitter. “There are so many people here who do not know me, who do not try to know me because they already believe they understand who I am because of the shape of my ears and the language I speak – and now they call me Herald, as though their Gods can overpower the history and beliefs of my people, which I wear on my face as proof of my faith and loyalty to the customs of my clan.”

Sa’Di felt her throat tighten slightly as she let loose what seemed to have been growing heavy in her chest since the day she awoke surrounded by strangers, her memory missing pieces and her people further away than ever before. She pushed through it, ignoring the strained tone to her voice as she opened up to these – two of the only people she had come to truly know in this town of strangers.

“Nothing here is like it is in the Free Marches, and once that excited me – I love my people but I could not wait to leave, I had wanted to know all there is about this world and I thought that one day I would help lead my clan all the better for the knowledge I earned in my travels. I did not think of how the wind would smell different or how the trees would be foreign. Even the birds sing a different tune. Everything about this place is odd to me – everything except for Solas.”

“See now that’s where I know you’re kidding,” Varric said, elbowing Sa’Di gently in the side, teasing. “Chuckles is the strangest one here by far – and you shut holes in the sky with your hand. Not to mention-”  
  
“ _Sera_ ,” the three of them intoned as one, and they all chuckled quietly at the oft-repeated joke. Sa’Di said nothing as Cassandra and Varric shuffled to stand either side of her, both pretending to be moving closer to the fire for warmth. They showed their support, even when they no doubt did not truly understand her need for it. She had not expected to find friends here, but was glad of them all the same. Sa’Di hoped she had not offended anyone in her choices of journey companions, and so after a moment’s thought, continued.

“Solas doesn’t agree with a lot of the Dalish ways of thinking,” Sa’Di said quietly, “but he listens to my stories, and he talks about the People in turn. He knows our histories, he knows our kin – sometimes I think he knows us better and more truly than we know ourselves. I know it is foolish of me, but I have needed him with me because he reminds me of what I could lose – what I must fight for. Sometimes it is difficult to believe that all of this could ever reach my clan – if it has not reached them already. Solas reminds me of home, and in doing so reminds me to fight not just for all of you, for what we are building here – but for those I have left behind. For those I may yet return to. One day.”

Cassandra nodded slowly, her frown directed at the campfire.

“I feel that I should apologise,” the Seeker said quietly. “I had not considered how being called Herald would affect you. I shall try to refrain in the future.”

Sa’Di shook her head, smiling slightly. “No, you must continue. You are right, Cassandra. The people need hope more than anything right now, and though I do not understand it or even truly appreciate it, if I can give them that hope simply by having a name given to me, then I will bear it. It will take more than a strange title for me to forget who I am.”

“Sa’Dirthara Lavellan” Varric said and Sa’Di grinned, pleasantly surprised.

“Your pronunciation is getting better,” she said and the rogue laughed.

“Yeah well, if I’m going to be using you as a character in one of my books I had better know how to say your damn name, don’t ya think?”

Cassandra perked up slightly, her gaze curious.

“You will be writing a story of all this?”

Varric shrugged. “Maybe. Who knows – depends on the ending of the story, I guess. I’m tired of tragedies. And if I can get a new publisher – my current one is a right bastard. I think he’s trying to cut me out of the market.”

Sa’Di smiled as Varric cursed his publisher, laughing at the dwarf’s antics every so often. When at last the day – the week – caught up with her, she bade her two friends goodnight, smothering a yawn behind a slim hand.

“Good night,” she called over her shoulder as she turned towards the hutt she was staying in. The wind changed direction suddenly and it blew her travel-mussed tresses away from her face.

“Night kid,” Varric waved back at her, and Cassandra nodded.

“On- on nydha, Sa’Di,” the Seeker said carefully, her tongue curling hesitantly around the new phrase, and the mage sent her a grateful smile over her shoulder. Varric was smothering a smirk with his square palm, and Sa’Di grinned wider, her fondness for the woman and dwarf brimming within her as she waved a last goodnight.

 

She missed home. She missed her clan.

But tonight, for the first time in many weeks, the heavy weight in her chest had lightened ever so slightly – the harsh wind that so often whipped her hair about her face had turned, quieting into something softer and more welcoming. The smell it carried was at once new and familiar, and though Sa’Di closed the door snugly behind her, that night she left a window open and let the crisp scent of new snow and mountain air fill the cottage as she slept.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever Dragon Age fic, so please let me know if I get anything canon wrong (particularly the language. I am so bad at languages). 
> 
> For those who are interested, Sa’Dirthara means "one who learns/seeks truth". Known as Sa'Di (Sah-Dee), these fics will be focus on my Inquisitor and her relationship with Solas - some of the fics in this series will be my take on scenes from canon and others (like this one) will build on moments I think would/should/could have happened. And some will just be me playing in the sand pit that is this world. Unsure if there will be other pairings (though it's likely, if only in passing). Hope you enjoyed my fic, please let me know if there's anything in particular you would like to see (I'm a sucker for prompts!)


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